Ironing table



Nov. 25, 1941. H. B. FAY.

l 7 1301mm TABLE Original Filed Aug. 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Shaet 1 INVENTORBY H. B. Hw-

- Amp/Era Nov. 25, 1941-. H, Y I "2,263,765

IRONING TABLE v Original Filed Aug. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vINVEN IOR;I H.B.F7w"

ATTORN Patented Nov. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE creases iIRONING TABLE Horace B. Fay, Willoughby, Ohio, assignor to GridironSteel Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio 2' Claims.

The present invention, relating as indicated to ironing tables, isparticularly concerned with the manufacture of a metallic structuralelement adapted for use as the top of an ironing table or analogousstructure in which strength, ab-

sence of fire danger, low weight and low cost are important. Theinvention, while adapted for various uses as will be evident from itsconstruction as hereinafter described will here be illustrated in theform of a folding ironing table of generally conventional type.

The object of my invention is to provide a metal ironing table whichcombines convenient weight to suflicient strength, and which has inaddition the safety factor which no wooden table can have, namely, thecomplete elimination of any fire hazard. A further object is to providea metal ironing board so constructed and designed that a heating elementcan be included within the box-like board structure with absolutefreedom from -fire danger. Other objects will be apparent in thesubsequent description.

Folding ironing boards have been in use for many years and consist of afiat top made from a single piece of wood and folding legs either ofwood or metal hinged to the lower surface of the board to fold flatagainst the board proper when not in use. In this structure the woodentop is obviously the weakest element because it is subjected to severeand varying conditions such as heat from the ironing operation, bendingmoments at the outer unsupported end which is spaced a very considerabledistance from the lorward legs, compression from the irons weight'andthe pressure imposed upon it by the user.

The'repeated absorption and yielding up of moisture, the gradual furtherdrying out of the wood in some climates, and the rough usage result inchecking, warping, cracking and finally in the breaking of the top.

Various attempts have been made to produce a metal top for an ironingtable iior analogous uses but without success. The requirements of suchanarticle are severe and varied. Its cost and weight must approximateclosely those of a wooden top. It must have uniform minimum resistancesubstantially all over its surface to the operating pressure oi theironand it must withstand severe ber ding strains imposed upon'ltsforward overhanging end portion which is run-- supported for aconsiderable'distaiice. This end portion is also weakened by beingnarrowed with respect to the width of the main portion of the boardinorder to accommodate shirts, sleeves and thelike which are slippedover-the extendand one-quarter feet wide, and in wood weighs from sevenand one-half to nine and one-half 5 pounds, depending upon theparticular wood used and the amount of contained moisture at any giventime. It must support forty pounds on the extended narrow end withoutundue deflection, setting or breakage, and it must withstand transversebending strains of more than that amount. Previous attempts at metalboards have weighed I 50% to 100% more than the conventional woodenboards, at two to three times the cost. My improved board has thestrength and weight of a wooden board at a comparable'cost. It securesthese characteristics by fabricating a given weight of metal in the formof sheets into a closed box-like structure of a predetermined area withhigh resistance to bending moments box-like characteristic not onlygives it extreme strength for its weight, but lends itself 'perfectly tothe inclusion of electrical heating elements to warm the upper surfaceand facilitate and hasten the ironing operation, which is one purpose towhichthe board may be adapted, as will be explained later herein.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims: the annexed drawings and the followingdescription setting forth in detailcertain structure embodying theinvention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one ofvarious structural forms in which the principle of the invention may beused. i

In said annexed drawings- Fig.1 is an elevational view of an ironingboard mounted on a set of folding legs;-

Figs. 2 and 3 are a top plan view and a bottom plan view respectively,of the ironing board top 45 with the legs removed;

li ig. 2; 1

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section showing the use of the insulatingmaterial; and

,. Q l, but showing a modified construction.

Referring more particularly tothat form of the invention shown in Figs.1 to 5 inclusive, it will be seen that the ironing table-consists of atop it and a-conventional set of folding legs l2 suitably securedthereto, the legs being shown longitudinally, transversely anddiagonally. Its v Fig. 6 is across-sectional view similar to Fig. I

in their extended position and being foldable forwardly about theirhinge attachment 16 to the of the lower sheet and are then rigidlysecured together preferably by spot welding. Obviously, however, all ofthe buttons need not be welded or otherwise secured to the top sheet tomaintain the desired relationship between the sheets. This forms thesheets into a box-like structure as shown in Fig. 4, equivalent to awooden top in stiffness.

To aid in obtaining the desired longitudinal strength without excessweight, the edges of the two sheets are flanged downwardly and thenrolled or bent to form a stiffening bead 2| which extends entirelyaround the top I I inwardly of the peripheral edge thereof. The width ofthis bead should be suflicient to prevent lateral buckling and the depthshould be such as to supplement the stiffness of the box top proper andincrease the strength of the entire structure. The use of such bead 2|is for practical or commercial reasons rather than strictly structuralstrength as it allows for the use of very thin sheets and projections orbuttons of a depth that can be easily pressed into the sheet. In formingbuttons, it is advantageous to have the edges 24 of the projectionsoverlap both longitudinally and transversely. By this construction thetwo sheets are formed into a braced girder construction as well as beingformed into merely a box and the strength or stiffness of the' board isincreased.

A heating'coil or element 50 is placed between the two sheets .of metal,the element being wound between the buttons, and the ends thereof being,

brought out to a contact box I which is provided with the usual wire 52and plug 53 for connection to a base plug or convenient outlet. The

, contact box 5| may of course be provided with a receptacle orconvenient outlet 54 so that an iron may be connected at this point ifdesired. Means for controlling the heating effect of the coil may alsobe contained in the contact box if desired as could heating controlmeans for the iron. The heating element itself consists of a heatingwire or coil suitably insulated from the metal sheets, such insulation55 preferably covering the wire or coil itself.

In this type of top, it is preferable to have .the underneath or buttonsurface covered with thermal insulation 51 to prevent excess heatradiation. To accomplish this. an insulating coating 5'! is applied toeach surface and secured thereto. In Fig. 5, such insulation is shown onan enlarged scale, and consists of a suitable adhering coating 56, towhich is applied small fragments 51 of suitable insulating material,such as ground cork or the like. The adhesive selected must be such aswill not later soften under the' ironing temperatures applied totheboard.

The use of a metal top, as described, eliminates the cracking andwarping of 'a wooden top, and is particularly advantageous where, ashere, a heating element is incorporated in the top,.since the top isthereby subjected to a heating far in excess of that imparted thereto bythe iron alone. Another advantage is the complete elimination of thefire hazard always heretofore present.

In addition, my metal top, being formed in a box-like structure withupper and lower sheets being spaced apart by metallic members, providesnatural and necessary avenues or passages in which the heating coils canbe placed so as to give a uniform distribution of heat and consequentuniform temperature all over the board top. This, it should be furthernoted, is accom-.

plished without the necessity of perforating any part of the top toprovide for the passage of the heating element from one of theinter-button spaces to the other.

It is not necessary that the heating element extend through all of theinter-button spaces, it being only necessary that sufficient wire beused to secure the desired wattage or temperature and that such wire bemore or less uniformly distributed over the entire area of the top.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the top is madeup of two sheets 43 and 44 with projections or buttons 45. In thisconstruction, the buttons are placed against each other and welded orotherwise secured together. In order to provide a smooth top, a thirdsheet 46 is placed over the upper button sheet 43 and secured in placeby its flanges 48 which are rolled in with the flanges 49 of the buttonsheets to lock the top sheet securely in place. In this construction, asin Fig. 4, a heating element or wire 50 is provided which is extendedthrough the interbutton spaces in the same manner as in the previouslydescribed form of the. invention.

It is to be particularly noted that in both forms of the invention, theheating element does not at any place encounter sharp edges or roughsurfaces, such as would tend to cut or abrade the surface coatingthereof. In fact all of the interior surfaces of the top are smooth andfree from sharp bends and are thus admirably adapted for supporting theheating element.

This application is -a division of my co-pending application, Serial No.223,441, filed August 6, 1938, and now issued as Patent No. 2,233,735.

By the addition of controlled heat in the table top itself, the ironingtime is materially reduced as the heat in the top assists in drying theclothes being ironed and in maintaining the pad or shield substantiallydry at all times. By incorporating a heating element within the metaltop which is free from sharp corners, a very satisfactory structure isobtained and one which furnishes a safe manner of holding and using theheating element.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structureherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In an ironing tabel top, the combination of two metal sheets, meansto secure the sheets towardly from the latter-and having their upperportions rigidly secured to the top sheet to space the two sheetsequi-distantiy, the edge of the top sheet being formed into a continuousdownturned flange, one of said sheets having an edge portion formed intoa bead enclosing the raw edge of the other sheet and thereby preventinghand contact A with the raw edges of said sheets and forming a box-likestructure, and an electric heating element turned about at least some oisaid spaced deformations and extending through the natural openingsprovided in said box-like structure by said deformations, saiddeformations and said electric heating element being distributedsubstantially uniformly throughout said box-like

